It has conventionally been known that carbon dioxide (carbonic acid anhydride: CO2, called as “carbon dioxide” hereafter) has both properties of being not only soluble in water (water-soluble) but also soluble in fat (fat-soluble) and, therefore, by only contacting the skin and mucous membrane of the living body which is like mixed with water and fat, carbon dioxide penetrates under a subcutaneous layer and expands blood vessels around parts of penetrated carbon dioxide, and it works to improve a blood circulation. Owing to this action of accelerating the blood circulation, it displays various physiological effects such as dropping of blood pressure, improving of metabolism or accelerating to remove pain substance or waste product. Further, it has also anti-inflammation and anti-bacterial. Therefore, carbon dioxide has recently been given attentions also from viewpoints of improving health or beauty other than the purpose of medical cares.
Carbon dioxide in the tissue of the living body works to release oxygen carried in combination with hemoglobin in a red blood cell. Around parts at a high density of carbon dioxide, the red blood cell releases more oxygen. Thus, supply of oxygen to cells by the red blood cell is mainly controlled by carbon dioxide. In short, being without carbon dioxide, hemoglobin remains as combined with oxygen and the cell becomes unable to receive oxygen. As is seen, carbon dioxide seems to be a waste product resulted from action of the cell, however, it plays in fact very important roles in the human living body.
Further, in recent times, oxygen of high density has also widely been known as effective in activity of metabolism, accelerating the blood circulation, fatigue recovery, or stability of blood pressure. Other than them, oxygen has disinfection or sterilization by oxidative effect.
As a prior art for causing carbon dioxide to be absorbed into the living body, a most broadly used technique is (1) a bathing agent issuing carbon dioxide in water. Throwing this bathing agent into hot water in a bathtub, it generates carbon dioxide by reacting carbonate and acid contained in the bathing agent, and dissolves it in hot water. Carbon dioxide dissolved in hot water contacts the skin of a bathing person and penetrates his subcutaneous layer to display physiological effects as above mentioned.
As a prior art for causing more carbon dioxide to contact the living body, (2) a carbon dioxide bathing device is known. This emits and disperses carbon dioxide in hot water and dissolves it at high density. When bathing in hot water dissolving carbon dioxide, the skin directly contacts it like the above mentioned bathing agent.
A blood circulation accelerating device (for example, Patent Document 1) has now been disclosed, which (3) attaches a cover to a human living body on its one part of the surface to form a sealed space together with the human living body, and introduces carbon dioxide into the sealed space from a carbon dioxide supply means for carrying out a carbon dioxide bath.
An inventor of the present invention has proposed a carbon dioxide pressure bath device which is equipped with at least (4) the carbon dioxide supply means, a pressurizing means, and a covering material for covering the skin of the living body and causing carbon dioxide to contact the skin of the living body at pressure of not less than predetermined value.
As a prior art for causing oxygen to be absorbed into the living body, (5) a high density oxygen bathing device has been known. Being similar to the carbon dioxide bathing device, this emits and disperses carbon dioxide in hot water, in which taking a bath, oxygen is caused to directly contact the skin.